harley



C. HARLEY.

DRYING KILN. V APPLICATION FILED AUG-28, 1915.

Pat ented Aug. 15, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

L) I :1 7 1 N I INVENTOR 4 QM I A? nnomvns WITNESSES C HARLEY.

DRYING KILN.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.23| 1915. v 1 1 94,?34, Patented Aug. 10, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- m co :3 3 53 :5

'0 a S S a; c; 3 H :1 m

Ln 'r-I H N m H N o O 23 3 H 831 23 Z i WITNESSES l/Vl/E/VTOR nomvm C. HARLEY.

DRYING KILN.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.28. 1915.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 nwmron WITNESSES CHARLES HARLELQOILTIDINGTON, MICHIGAN, ASS'IGI'TOR, TO' Louis a. murmur, or

- LOGKPQRT,NEW YORK-e.

' DRYINGLKILNT 1,194,? Specification'of Letters Patent; Aug. ll5, 1916.-

Application filed August28,191 5. Serial No. 47,736.

To rill whom it may concern: .4 I v Be it known that I,'CHARLES HARLEY, .a citizen of the United States, residing at Ludington, in the county of Mason and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drying- Kilns, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as'will enable others skilled in'the art to which it appertains to make and use-thesame.

The present invention relates to improve ments in drying kilns of a type especially adapted and designed for the purpose of drying veneer.

The ,object' of. the invention is to simplify the construction and operation of apparatus now: in use for. thispurpose by compactly combining and arranging the component .parts of the apparatus insuch a manner as to produce a durable structure which may be easily and 'efliciently operated and 1n which the heating devices are of a form par- "ticularly designed to exert a uniform pressing and drying veneer. 3 a

Other objects will be in part obvious and effect upon eachsheet of V in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will, be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings;- wherein is illustrated one of the various possible embodiments of this invention, Figure 1 is a front elevati'ontheieof; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; and Fig. 3 is a portion of a side elevation'thereof.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Before proceeding toa description of the construction of an apparatus embodying the invention, it may be stated briefly that it embraces a series of fixed drying platens, each composed of coils of pipe placed one above the other at suitable distances apart, and adapted to be properly heated. Cooperating with the fixed platens is a series of movable platens equal in number and similarly constructed. Suitable mechanism is provided whereby the movable platens -uponthe'upper surfaces of the fixed platens, .1I1 Wl11Cl1POSifi0li of the apparatus there will'be a series of spaces between the upper surfaces .of the movable platens and the lower surfaces of the fixed platens, which spaces may be filled with layers of veneer to be' subsequently pressed and dried byv raising the movable platens so that they shall make contact with the lower surfaces of the fixed platens.

Referring nowto the drawings, reference numeral 1 indicates arectangular base of the machine, which may be of any desired constructionQ At the corners of the base are placed vertical columns 2'which are connected at their upper ends by braces -3. These. columns are adaptedto support the fixed drying platens 4, each of which is composed of a plurality of pipes,'as will be subsequently described. The means for supporting these platens comprises a plurality of substantially horizontal headers or supporting bars 5, having at each end a pair of perforated flanges '6 through which attaching bolts 7 are passed and secured to the upright columns by nuts 8. The headers are perforated at regular intervals (as at 9,)

to receive the pipes composing the fixedplatens, and the upper and lower edges of the headers are corrugated for. cooperation wlth the pipes of the movable platens, as 'will presently appear.

mr Wires 1 necting the pipes thereof together by means 7 of return bends 10 which 'are alternately disposed on opposite sides of the platen, as

shown most clearly in the plan view, Fig. 2.

At the endsof the coil composing each platen are placed elbows 11. One elbow of theupper'platen is connected to'a steam supply system through a pipe 12, while the other end of the same platen is connected by pipe 13 to one end of the coil, composmg .the adjacent fixed platen 4. The opposite end of the last-named platen is similarly connected by means of a pipe 13.to an end of-thefixed platen next below, and this system of connection is carried throughout the entire series of fixed platens until the end of the lowermostone is reached, at which,

point there is a connection 14 passing to the steam supply system.. It will thus be seen' that there isa continuous passage for steam as shown at 15, serves this purpose satisfactorily, and it .may be easily attached by simply drawing it around the row of pipes composing the platen and attaching the edges together, as at 16, where the fastening will not come in contact with the veneer.

It will vbe understood, however, that the in-.

vention' is not' limited to the above mode of attachment, since any other suitable mode could be used without departing from the scope of the invention.

Passing now to a conside ation of the movable platens, which are in icated by reference numeral 17, it will be seen that they are equal in number to the fixed platens, and while five of each are shown, it will be understood that the nufmber may be in-- creased or decreased as may be necessary or desirable. The movable platens are composed of a plurality of pipes connected at their ends by return bends 10' disposed on opposite sides of the machine so as to form a continuous coil precisely as in the case of the fixed platens, and steam can be passed through the movable platens'by means of the connections18 at the top and 19- at the bottom. 'The intermediate platens are connected' by pipes 20 in a manner analogous to that used with'the fixed platens. It will be noted, however, that the top connection 18 comprises three elbows and a considerable length of pipe. The purpose of this is to permit a certain amount of flexibility to the connectionwhen the movable platens are raised or lowered, and a similar expedient may be adopted in regard to the other connecting pipe 19, although it has not been illustrated.

The movable platens 17 are supported upon a suspended framework composed of four vertical members 21, to which,-on opposite sides of the machine, a series of substantially horizontal angle bars 22 are attached. The return bends 10 of the movable platens rest directly upon these angle bars, as shown most clearly in Figs. land 2.

For raising and lowering the movable platens there is provided on each side of the machine a shaft 23 mounted in brackets 24 attached to the upper ends of the columns 2. Fixed to the shafts 23' and in line with the vertical members 21 of the movable frame are winding drums 25 from each of which chains 26 pass to the ends of the said .ver-

ticalmembers. Also attached to the shafts 23 are arms 27, from the outer ends of which weights 28 are suspended by chains or ropes 29, the purpose of these weights being to counterbalance to any desired degree the weight of the movable platens and the frame supporting the same. At the base of the machine andextending at right angles to the shafts 23'is a shaft 30 fixed in bearings 31 on two of the upright columns 2. At each end of the shaft 30 is a\winding drum 32from which a chain 33 passes over a companion drum 34 on the end of the corresponding shaft 23. Attached at one end of the shaft 30 is a lever 35 for rotating the same. This lever may be provided with any wellknown latching device 36 by which it may be locked in an position.

The pipes compo 'ng the series of movable platens 17 are covered with wire mesh or other suitable material in a manner simi-. lar to that described for the fixed platens. It will also be seen, especially from Fig. 2, that the pipes of the movable latens are somewhat longer than those 0 the fixed platens, and from Fig. 3 it will be seen that the depressions in the horizontal supporting bars 5 permit. the pipes of the movable platens to approach closely the pipes of the fixed platens, while, the lengthened pipes of the former also prevent any interferencebetween the return bends thereof and the return bends of the fixed platens.

It will also be seen from the construction shown that the movable platens 17 are sim-' 26 upon the drums 25 of the shafts 23 that.

the supporting frame of the movable platens may be lowered away from the same so that these platens rest entirely upon the fixed platens. On account of the construction of the movable platens with the return bends at the ends they will possess sufficient flexi bility so that, in theposition just described,

they will adapt themselves to any variations in the thickness of the sheets of veneer held between them and the fixed platens. When,

however, the movable platens are moved in a reverse direction; that is, so that their opperinit fresh layers of veneer to be inserted while others are drying, but this disadvanthereof will make use veneer that has been placed tage may be compensated for by the uniform pressing efiect obtained upon layers of veneer exhibiting irregularities in thickness.

While the machine may be operated in the manner just described, the usual operation lower surfaces, of both the fixed and movable platens 1n the manner already indi-' cated but which may be reviewed in con- ,clusion.

The 'counterbalancing weights 28 are preferably made suflicientlyheavy to more than make up able platens 17 they are mounted. Thus, the efiect of the counter-balancing Weights is to tend to raise the movable platens so that their upper surfaces come in proximity to the adjacent under surfaces of the fixed platens and any is firmly held and dried. The pressing effect will, of course, depend upon the excess weight of. the counterbalances over the weight of the movable platens and frame.

; tion bythe lever 35.

' been placed upon 7 fixed platens. are thus being that While the above-described drying operation is taking. place fresh layers'of veneer may be placed in position upon the upper wire mesh surfaces of the fixed platens, By subsequently rotating the shaft 30 by the lever the counter-balancing weights may be raised suflicientlyto permit the movable platens'to move downwardly until they rest upon the layers of veneer which have just the upper surfaces of the While fresh layers of veneer dried, those previously dried of both upper and for the weight of the movand the frame upon which upon the former the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

may be removed and new layers put in place for subsequent drying upon the next operation of the machine. V I

It may be found in practice that as the veneer shrinks while drying the pressure upon it should be intermittently relieved.

This may be done when desired'by a slight rotation of the shaft 30 in the proper direc- ,'In order to retain as much heat as possible withinthe apparatus it will be understood a shed or other inclosure of any desired construction may b provided.

- the scope thereof,

tended to cover all of As many changes could be made in the above construction "and many apparently A widely different embodiments of this invenwithout departingtfrom tion could be made it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shbwn in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. v 1

It is also to be understood that the Ian guage used in the following claims is incific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the generic andspe-' of fixed pipes.

in combination,

and movable comprising a continuous coil,,

movable platens as a unit, means for moving the movable platens in juxtaposition to and means permitting the passage of a' heating medium through each of said platens.

3. A drying-kiln having, in combination,

the fixed platens,

alternately arranged fixed and movable .platens, each comprising a continlfous coil,

means for suspending the movable platens as a unit, means for counter-balancing the weight of said movable platens, means for moving the movable platens in to the fixed platens, the passage of a h ating medium through each of said platens.

juxtaposition and means permitting 4., A drying-kiln having,i'n combination,

alternately arranged rows offixed-and movable pipes, the pipes of each row being connected together to form a continuous coil, means permitting the passage of a heating medium through each coil, counter-balanced means for supporting the rows of movable pipes as a unit, andv means for moving said last-named rows into contact with the rows 5. A drying-kiln having,in combination, horizontally arranged platens each composed of parallel pipes, theends of adjacent pipes of each platen being coupled together to form a continuous coil, fixed and movable frames to which said platens are alternately c6nnected, counter-balanced means for supsupported,

platens.

porting" said movable raising and lowering said movable frame in order that the platens connected thereto may be placed in contact alternately with the upper and 6. A drying-kiln having, in combination, horizontally arranged platens each composed of parallelpipes, the ends of adjacent pipes of each platen being coupled together to form a continuous coil, and the pipes of each platen being arranged in staggered relation to those of adjacent platens, a movable frame comprising substantially horizontal bars upon which alternate platens are means for raising and lowering said frame, and a fixed frame comprising frame, and means for l lower surfaces of the fixed I substantially horizontal bars to which the remaining platens are connected, the upper and lower surfaces of said last-named bars .being corrugated to permit the movable ,platens to be brought closely in proximity to the fixed platens when said movable frame is raised and lowered.

7. A drying-kiln having,-in combination, a fixed platen and a movable platen arranged one above the other, means for heat-3 ing eachof said platens, means for raising and lowering the. movable platen, anda reticulated metal covering for each platen forming a substantially plane drying andpressing surface.

8. A veneer drying-kiln having, in combination, a fixed platen and a J movable platen arranged oneabove the other, means heated air to pass through said platen.

for heating each platen, means for) raising and lowering the movable platen, and a wire mesh covering attached to each platen for supporting veneer and allowing currents of 9. In apparatus for drying veneer, in combination, a fixed frame and a movable frame, each of said frames comprising upright columns and substantially horizontal supporting bars attached thereto, a plurality of fixed bearings, shafts mounted in said bearings, means attached to said shafts'and to the upright columns of said movable frame, means for rotating'said shafts whereby said movable frame is moved relatively to said fixed frame, ,7 and drying platens supported by said horizontal bars, said platens being so formed and mounted that they may adapt themselves to variations in the thickness of sheets of veneer held betweenthem.

10. A dryingkiln having,.in combination, a series of supporting bars, drying coils,

each comprising a plurality of tubes, a plubers engaging said supporting bars, a plurality of pipes connected to said hollow members in such a manner as to form a continuous coil, and a covering extending overthe upper and lower surfaces of said coil.

13. A drying-kiln having, in combination, supporting bars, a plurality of hollow members engaging said supporting bars, a plurality of pipes connected to said hollow meinbers in such a manner as to form a continuous coil, and a covering composed of reticulated metal extending over the upper and lower surfaces of said coil.

14:. A drying-kiln having, in combination, a series of substantially horizontal supporting'bars on opposite sides thereof, a plurality of return bends supported upon said bars, a plurality of pipes connecting said return bends 'on opposite sides of the machine, said return bends on one side of the machine being disposed with relation to corresponding bends on theother side of the machine in such a manner that the pipes connectingthem form a continuous coil, and

a reticulated metal covering attached to said pipes. v

15. A drying-kiln having, in combination, a pair of supporting frames, platens carried by each of said frames, means for moving one of said frames relatively to the other so that a portion of the platens may rest upon the remainder of the platens, and means whereby said platens automatically adjust themselves to any variations of the surface upon which they rest.

16. A drying-kiln having, in combination a fixed frame, a movable frame, each of sai frames comprising upright columns and substantially horizontal bars, a power shaft mounted upon said fixed frame, a plurality of shafts mounted at the top of said fixed frame, counterweights attached to said top shafts, means for rotating said power shaft, operatlve connections between said power shaft and said plurality of shafts, means connecting said movable frame to said plurality of shafts, and drying platens supported upon said horizontal bars, the platens carried by said movable frame being so constructed and mounted that they may adapt themselves to variations in the thickness of material held between them and the platens of said fixed frame.

17. A drying-kiln having, in combination, a plurality of frames, each comprisinggupright columns and substantially horizontal supporting bars attached thereto, drying platens carried upon said supporting bars, each of said platens comprising a plurality of pipes, a reticulated metal covering attached to said pipes, and return bends to which said pipes are connected, said return bends being formed and those of one platen being so disposed with relation to those of an adjacent platen that the coverings of said atens may come into contact without contact between the return bends of said adjacent platens.

18. A dryingkiln having, in combination, a plurality of frames, each comprising upright columns and substantially horizontal I supporting bars attached thereto, drying platens carried upon said supporting bars, each of said platens comprising a plurality a each of said of pipes, a wire mesh covering attached to said pipes, and return bends to which said pipes are connected, said return bends being formed and those of one platen being so disposed with relation to those of an adjacent platen that the coverings of said platens.

. may be brought into contact.

20. In apparatus for drying veneer, in combination, a plurality of drying coils, each of said coils comprising a plurality of tubes, a plurality of return bends to which said tubes are connected, supporting bars upon which said return bends are adapted to rest, and means attached to said tubes to prevent'them from coming in contact with veneer.

21. In apparatus for drying veneer, in combination, a plurality of drying coils, each of said coils comprising a plurality of tubes, a plurality of return bends to which said tubes are connected, supporting bars upon which said return bends are adapted to rest, and wire mesh attached to said tubes to prevent them from coming in contact with veneer.

22. In apparatus for drying veneer, in combination, a series of supporting bars, drying platens adapted to rest upon said bars, each of said platens comprising a plurality of tubes, a plurality of return bends connecting the ends of said tubes and adapted to engage said bars, and Wire mesh attached to said tubes.

3 In apparatus for drying veneer, in combination, a series of supporting "bars, drying platens adapted to rest on said bars, platens comprising a plurality of tubes, a plurality of return bends connecting the ends of said tubes and adapted to engage said bars, and means fastened to said tubes forming a substantially plane 24. In apparatus for drying veneer, in combination, a series of supporting bars, a plurality of hollow members adapted to engage said supporting bars, a plurality of pipes connected to said hollow members, and means fastened to said pipes forming a substantially plane drying and pressing surface. 25. In apparatus for drying veneer, in

rying and pressing surface of said platen.

.tened to said plane drying combination, a series of supporting bars, a

plurality of hollow members adapted to engage said supporting bars, a plurality of pipes connected to said hollow members, and wire mesh fastened to said pipes forming a :ubstantially plane drying and pressing surace.

-26. In apparatus for drying veneer, in combination, a series of substantially horizontal supporting bars on opposite sides of the machine, a plurality of return bends adapted to be supported upon said bars, a plurality of pipes connecting said return bends on opposite sides of the machine, said return bends at one side of the machine being disposed with relation to bends on the other side of the machine in such a manner that the pipes connecting them form a continuous coil, and means fastened to said pipes forming a substantially plane drying and pressingsurface.

In apparatus for drying veneer, in

combination, a series of substantially horizontal supporting bars on opposite sides of the machine, a plurality of return bends adapted to be supported upon said bars, a plurality of pipes connecting said return bends on opposite sides of the machine, said return bends at one side of the machine be ing disposed with relation to corresponding bends on the other side of the machine in such a manner that the pipes connecting them form a continuous coil, and Wire mesh fastened to said pipes forming a substantially plane drying and pressing surface.

28. In apparatus for drying veneer, in combination, a movable frame comprising upright columns and substantially horizontal supporting bars attached thereto, a plurality of fixed bearings, a shaft mounted in said bearings, means attached to said shaft and connected to said upright columns. means for rotating said shaft whereby said frame is moved, and drying platens adapted to be supported by said horizontal bars, said platens being so formed and mounted that they may adapt themselves to variations in the thickness of sheets of veneer upon which they are adapted to rest while drying the same. 7

29. In apparatus for drying veneer, in combination, a pair of frames, each of said frames comprising upright columns and substantially horizontal supporting bars at- .tached thereto, drying platens carried upon said support' g bars, each of said platens comprising a plurality of pipes, means fasturn' bends to which said pipes are connected, said return bends being adapted to rest upon said supporting bars and being formed and those of one platen being so disposed with relation to those of an adjacent platen that the plane surfaces of said platens may pipes forming a substantially and pressing surface, and recome into contact without contact between the return bends of said adjacent platens.

30. In a machine for drying veneer, in combination, a pair of frames, each frame consisting of upright members and substantially horizontal members connected thereto, drying platens carried by said horizontal members, and means adapted to relatively move one of said frames to impose the weight of the platens carried thereby upon the platens carried by the other frame, said platens being so constructed that they may automatically adjust themselves to any variations of the surface upon which they rest.

31. In apparatus for drying veneer, in combination, a pair of frames, each of said frames comprising upright columns and substantially horizontal supporting bars attached thereto, drying platens carried upon said supporting bars, each of said platens comprlsing a plurality of pipes, means fas-' tened to said pipes formlng a substantially plane drying and pressing surface, return bends to which said pipes are connected, and means adapted to relatively move one of said frames to impose the weight of the platens carried thereby upon the platens carried by the other frame, the return bends being formed and-those of one platen being so disposed with relation to those of an ad-" jacent platen that the plane surfaces of said platens may come into contact without contact between the returnbends of said adjacent platens.

32. In avdrying platen, in combination, a plurality of pipes, means fastened to said pipes forming a substantially plane drying and pressing surface of said platen, and means attached to the ends of said pipes permitting the passage of a heating medium throu h said pipes.

33; n a drying platen, in combination, a plurality of pipes, wire mesh fastened to said pipes forming a substantially plane drying and pressing surface of said platen,

and means attached to the ends of said pipes Y permitting the passage of a heating medium through said pipes.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

CHAS. HARLEY. Witnesses:

J..P. J. KERGEN,' JOHN WILLIAM LEWER. 

